DIT 407
Lecture 5
Network Operating
System
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Lecture Outline
• What is a System?
• Operating System
• Network Operating System
• Characteristics of a Network Operating System
• Features of a NOS
• Choosing a NOS
• Functions of a NOS
• Windows
• Linux
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What is a system?
• Set of interacting or interdependent entities
Multiple meaning:
• collection of organized things
• way of organizing or planning
• whole composed relationship among the members
Characteristics:
• have a structure that is defined by its parts and
processes
• tend to function in the same way
(involves inputs and outputs of material)
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Operating System
• Program that manages the computer hardware
• Provides a basis for application programs and acts as
an intermediary between the user and the hardware.
• Offers a reasonable way to solve the problem of
creating a usable computing system.
Types of Operating Systems: Windows Vista
Linux and Unix
Microsoft Windows
Mac OS X
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User 1 User 2 User 3 ........ User n
Assembler Text editor Databases
Compiler
System
System and Application Programs
Operating System
Computer Hardware
Figure: Abstract view of the components of a computer system
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Network Operating System
• Provides an environment in which users, who are
aware of multiplicity of machines, can access
remote resources either:
-> logging in to the remote machine* or
-> transferring data from the remote
machine to their own machines
• Mostly used with local area networks and wide
area networks (WANs).
* Remote machine: refers to a computer connected
to the network which a user is using.
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Overview of NOS Characteristics
• Network operating systems (NOSs)
distribute their functions over a
number of networked computers.
• It then adds functions that allow
access to shared resources by a
number of users concurrently.
• NOS computers take on specialized
roles to accomplish concurrent
access to shared resources.
• Client systems contain specialized
software that allows them to
request shared resources that are
controlled by server systems
responding to a client request.
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Differences Between PC and a NOS
• The NOS enhances the reach of the client PC by making
remote services available as extensions of the local native
operating system.
• Although a number of users may have accounts on a PC,
only a single account is active on the system at any given
time.
• NOS supports multiple user accounts at the same time and
enables concurrent access to shared resources by multiple
clients.
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Features of NOS
• Provides basic operating system features;
support for processors, protocols, automatic
hardware detection, support multi-processing
of applications
• Security features; authentication,
authorization, access control
• Provides names and directory services
• Provides files, print, web services, back-up and
replication services
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Features – cont‘d
• Supports Internetworking such as routing and
WAN ports
• User management and support for login and
logoff, remote access, system management
• Clustering capabilities, fault tolerant and and
high availability systems
• Cluster: = group of linked computers working
together closely, connected to LAN
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Choosing a NOS
• The main features to
consider when selecting a
NOS include:
– Performance
– Management and
monitoring tools
– Security
– Scalability
– Robustness/fault
tolerance
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Types of NOS
• It is important to know the basics
about popular NOS families.
• Many networks now include more
than one server type, and knowing
how to get these diverse systems
to interoperate is an important
skill for a network administrator.
• Operating systems on the network
have their own language.
• Different NOS vendors use the
same terms in different ways.
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Windows
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Windows Terminology
• Windows server-based
networks that run Windows NT
Server or Windows 2000 Server
are based on the concept of the
domain.
• A domain is a group of
computers and users that serves
as a boundary of administrative
authority.
• Windows NT domains and
Windows 2000 domains,
although similar in function,
interact with one another
differently.
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Windows 2000 and 2003 Family of
Operating Systems
• The Windows 2000 family of
operating systems includes:
– Windows 2000 Professional
– Windows 2000 Server
– Windows 2000 Advanced
Server
• The specific needs of the
network will determine the best
version of Windows 2000 for the
installation.
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Windows 2000 and 2003 Family of
Operating Systems
• The Windows 2003 family of
operating systems includes:
– Standard Edition
– Enterprise Edition
– Datacenter Edition
– Web Edition
– Small Business Server Edition
• 2003 Server release is the
available support for 64-bit
systems in order to compete in the
enterprise level server arena.
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Linux
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History of Linux
• Linux is an operating system similar to
UNIX. It runs on many different computers
and was first released in 1991.
• Linux is portable, which means versions can
be found running on name brand or clone
PCs.
• Linux offers many features adopted from
other versions of UNIX.
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Linux Operating System
• Linux is sometimes referred to as "UNIX Lite", and it
is designed to run on Intel-compatible PCs.
• However, Linux will run on other machines as well.
• Linux brings the advantages of UNIX to home and
small business computers.
• The following are a few of the most popular types:
– Red Hat Linux
– Linux Mandrake
– Caldera eDesktop and eServer
– Debian GNU/Linux
– Corel Linux
– Turbo Linux
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Linux – cont‘d
• Free OS based on Unix standards
• Provides a programming interface and user
interface
• Core Linux OS kernel is original, but allows
much existing free Unix software to run
• Multiuser system, providing protection between
processes and running multiple processes
according to a time-sharing (or multitasking)
scheduler
• Multiple networking protocols can be accessed
simultaneously through socket interface
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Linux Clients
• Windows clients can access
Linux servers without client
software if the UNIX servers
run Samba, which is a
program that uses the Server
Message Block (SMB)
application layer protocol.
• Windows computers use SMB
for file access across the
network.
• Samba permits them to see the
Linux file system.
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Summary
• NOS provides features such as file sharing
across the network
• Includes communication scheme
• Allows different processes on different
computers to exchange messages
• Computer running a NOS acts autonomously
from all other computers on the network
• It is aware of the network – able to
communicate with other networked computers
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End
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